Forgiven part 5
There's nothing better than the feeling of complete and utter acceptance. I'm convinced that a part--a BIG part--of what unconditional, agape love is all about is simply knowing that we are accepted. We belong. Remember the Rant series about the embrace? To me that's so powerful. Being embraced by our heavenly Father regardless of what we've done. Knowing (and believing) that God will never leave us nor forsake. Why? Because we "deserve" it? Because we've kept the Law and earned it? Not even a little bit. According to Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." So where does this assurance of God's love come from? Why can we believe something that seems too good to be true? Something we can't earn and don't deserve? It comes from being forgiven! From having our conscience purged and knowing that we are dead to sin and alive unto God! One of my favorite verses, 1 John 4:18, tells us that, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." Fear of punishment. Fear of rejection. Look, if acceptance is the best feeling in the world, then rejection is the worst. And that's what that sin consciousness does. It makes us feel like we've been rejected. Like we're not good enough to be loved. But God consciousness--which comes from Jesus taking away our sins and forgiving them... rolling away the stone of the Law which caused that sense of separation between us and God--allows us to LIVE through God... by letting Jesus live through us! It's so important to understand the freeing power of forgiveness. We don't have to look at God as someone who is angry with us if we know (and believe) that we are forgiven! We don't have to stay in the bondage of sin and death when we know (and believe) that we have passed out of death and into life. A new life where we are forgiven, and there is no condemnation. A new life where we can love others--no matter what they've done--because in the same manner that we ARE forgiven... we can forgive! And when we forgive--in the same manner that it took away that sense of separation between us and God--it takes out that sense of separation between each other. We can be tenderhearted towards each other, because our heart is not hard with bitterness. It is soft with forgiveness, and grace, and mercy, and love! All of the things that flow into us from the Father--revealed to us and in us and through us by the Holy Spirit--flow out of us as we receive them and release them! I am forgiven. I can forgive. I am accepted. I can accept you. I am loved. I can love you. And that's what this abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life is all about. That's our EPIC destiny. Our Eternal Purpose In Christ. That's the New Commandment: Love one another as Jesus loves you. Accept as you are accepted by Him. Forgive as you are forgiven by Him. Love as you are loved by Him!